The 7.7 cm Feldkanone 96 (7.7 cm FK 96) was a field gun used by Germany before
World War I
World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
.
History
It was a thoroughly conventional gun, being a modernized version of
Krupp
Friedrich Krupp AG Hoesch-Krupp (formerly Fried. Krupp AG and Friedrich Krupp GmbH), trade name, trading as Krupp, was the largest company in Europe at the beginning of the 20th century as well as Germany's premier weapons manufacturer dur ...
's
FK 73 gun, but failed to incorporate any recoil system other than a partially effective spade brake, and fired a 12-pound projectile. Thus it was rendered obsolete when the French introduced their
Canon de 75 modèle 1897
The French 75 mm field gun is a Quick-firing gun, quick-firing field artillery piece adopted in March 1898. Its official French designation was: Matériel de 75 mm Mle 1897. It was commonly known as the French 75, simply the 75 and S ...
the following year. Most guns were rebuilt to modern standards (only the barrel was retained) in 1904 as the
7.7 cm FK 96 n.A. (neuer Art)
ew modelwhich served throughout
World War I
World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
as one of Germany's main light field guns. The remaining unmodified guns were then known as the 7.7 cm FK 96 a.A. (alte Art or old model).
A number of 7.5 cm Krupp L/24 quick firing guns, similar to the 7.7 cm Feldkanone C/96 (FK 96 a/A) guns, were sold to the
Boer republic of
Transvaal. These guns were used with good effect against the British in the
Second Boer War
The Second Boer War (, , 11 October 189931 May 1902), also known as the Boer War, Transvaal War, Anglo–Boer War, or South African War, was a conflict fought between the British Empire and the two Boer republics (the South African Republic and ...
between 1899 and 1902. A number of 7.7 cm FK 96 a/A guns were also used by
Schutztruppen batteries during the 1904
Herero Wars
The Herero Wars were a series of colonial wars between the German Empire and the Herero people of German South West Africa (present-day Namibia). They took place between 1904 and 1908.
Background Pre-colonial South-West Africa
The Hereros we ...
and during the South African invasion of German South West Africa, 1914–1915.
See also
*
C64 (field gun), roughly its predecessor in the Franco-Prussian and Second Schleswig War.
*
7.7 cm FK 96 n.A. : modernised version
Weapons of comparable role, performance and era
*
Ordnance BL 15 pounder, British equivalent
References
* Jäger, Herbert. ''German Artillery of World War One''. Ramsbury, Marlborough, Wiltshire: Crowood Press, 2001
* Ortner, M. Christian. ''The Austro-Hungarian Artillery From 1867 to 1918: Technology, Organization, and Tactics''. Vienna, Verlag Militaria, 2007
External links
7.7 cm FK 96 on Landships
World War I artillery of Germany
World War I guns
77 mm artillery
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